Free · Confidential · No Obligation

Behind on Your Mortgage?
You Have Options.

Losing your home to the bank is rarely the only path. Even with a Notice of Default or a sale date set, there are moves available — often a short sale, which the lender must approve and which affects credit less severely than a foreclosure. I will sit with you, look at the numbers, and lay out your options honestly. If keeping the home is your best path, that's not something I handle. HUD approves free housing counseling agencies and maintains a locator for them. It's below — search your ZIP for agencies serving your area. Worth exhausting that before you talk to anyone about selling. No pressure, and no fee for the consultation.

Ask the lender to postponeUnderstand the credit consequencesKnow what a short sale actually costs youYou are represented — licensed California broker, DRE #01711990

What we will walk through with you

Four Ways to Avoid Losing Your Home

Every situation is different. The right move depends on your equity, your income, where you are in the timeline, and what you actually want. A short sale is the path we handle most often, and the one we are set up to prepare and present — but here is the full menu, including the ones we do not handle.

Where we focusSell for less than you owe

Short Sale

Sell the home for less than the mortgage balance. The lender decides whether to approve the sale and how to treat the remaining balance. A short sale affects your credit, though less severely than a foreclosure, and there may be tax consequences — ask a CPA. We prepare the package and present it to your lender.

Sell for cash, keep the equity above the debt

Cash Sale (Off-Market)

If you have equity, we can make a direct cash offer or bring in a vetted cash buyer. A cash close typically runs 14–21 days — longer if title needs clearing, such as liens, probate, or a clouded chain. Keep any equity above what you owe, avoid foreclosure on your record.

Sell on the open market, or through a discreet private process

Traditional Listing

If you have equity and time, listing on the open market usually nets the most money. We move fast and price aggressively when the clock is ticking.

Last resort

Deed in Lieu

Voluntarily hand the deed to the lender in exchange for canceling the debt. Less damaging than a full foreclosure on your record.

HUD-approved housing counseling — free, and not through us.

HUD approves housing counseling agencies and keeps a search tool for finding one near you. Enter your ZIP code there to see the agencies serving your area. Verified 6 August 2026.

Find a HUD-approved counselor at hud.gov

California foreclosure timeline

Where Are You Right Now?

The earlier you call, the more options stay on the table. Even at the trustee-sale stage, there are still moves — they are just narrower.

  1. 1

    Day 1

    You miss a payment. Late fees start.

  2. 2

    Day 30–90

    Lender sends demand letters. Reinstatement is still cheap here.

  3. 3

    Day ~90

    Notice of Default (NOD) recorded. You have 90 days to cure.

  4. 4

    Day ~180

    Notice of Trustee Sale (NOS) posted. Auction set ~21 days out.

  5. 5

    Auction Day

    Home sold on the courthouse steps. You can be evicted shortly after.

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A note on foreclosure rescue scams

California has strict rules on who can help homeowners in default — for good reason. We will never ask you to sign over your deed, pay upfront for "rescue services," or skip talking to your lender. If anything we suggest feels off, ask us why. Get a second opinion. Your home is worth that caution.

Henry David Catalan, Real Estate Broker and Associates · Henry David Catalan, Broker · California DRE #01711990